Osprey

Happy Canada Day!

Last year on this day when visiting the Osprey nest there were chicks and lots of activity. As I had not been out in a while I stopped by today,

… and was saddened to see the nest empty. It would appear this pair will not be successful in raising any young this year. This will be the third season in the six I have been watching this Osprey pair it has happened.

One of the adult birds was present on an old snag overlooking the nest,

… busy eating a fish. Hopefully they will return again next year with better results.

Osprey

With a few other things on the go of late I have been remiss checking in on the Osprey this year. Normally I would have determined if this particular pair had returned and been watching them for about a month by now. Once things were finished at home this morning I made my way out there.

On arriving I found the male Osprey on one set of pylons noisily alerting to the presence of another adult Osprey. On looking further down I could see the female on this years nest which is on a different set of pylons from last year. So the pair is sitting on eggs, I just don’t know for how long.

From past experience with this pair, it is usually around the last week of June that the chicks have hatched. Now I will just have to make sure to check in on them regularly until then.

Osprey Nest Update

It has been three weeks since I was last at the Osprey nest. A lot can happen in 21 days, so it was time for another visit this morning.

Have they ever grown! This is one of the chicks exercising its wings.

The other good news as you can see is all three chicks are healthy and still with us.

They would take turns flapping their wings,

… with this one hovering above the adult female. The adult male had delivered a fish that was on the smallish side,

… and devoured quickly. Afterwards the chicks and adult female put up quite a stink. Perhaps they were complaining, but it did provide this nice group shot. It will not be long now before the chicks fledge and leave the nest.